New Utah beer with a wild mission

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Elder Brett, a new barrel-aged beer, was released last week into the cold cases at Salt Lake City's Epic Brewing Co.

The new brew, which features a Mormon Missionary on the label, clearly pokes fun at the predominant religion of Utah.

But it also pays homage to the wild yeast that was used to make the beer. Brettanomyces  or Brett for short  is the same yeast used by many winemakers to create complexity and character in red wines.

Epic's Head brewer, Kevin Crompton, made the new brew in collaboration with Chad Yokabson, the owner/head brewer at Crooked Stave Artisan Brewing in Fort Collins, Colorado. Yokabson is known for brewing sour and Brettanomyces-driven beers.

The two spent several weeks working on the recipe and selecting the proper Brett strains so the beer would morph from a golden Saision into a Saison-Brett Golden Ale. Elder Brett was then aged for nine months in French oak barrels creating a beer that is a bit yeasty with a refreshing tart taste; and reminiscent of white wine.

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A 22-ounce bottle is $13. Available at Utah State wine and liquor stores as well as the brewery, 825 S. State St., Salt Lake City.

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